Final Fantasy VII 1. Chapter I:  Memories

**Hey guys, welcome to Accomplice, my first sequel! NOTE: If you haven't read Apprentice, go read that first, or you won't understand anything... **

**This story follows Rin throughout Meteorfall, where she gets to deal with Cloud's messed up memories, lame Sephiroth clones, and the emerging of the Heartless. Just how much will Rin changes things? The big question is, will Aerith live? I really haven't decided yet, and I am hoping for your feedback to aid me in my decision. I could go either way, because she is in KH, but then again, I could just write her out of it just as easily...**

**Anyway, going on to Sophia... Rin's chapters will be numbered with Roman Numerals (I, V, X ect.) while Sophia's will use normal numbers. I'm not going to say much about her, just go read her chapter that will be posted shortly. **

**All of Sophia's story is written by my sister (while I edit it) and Rin's story is all mine. Obviously, we do not own anything belonging to Square Enix or Disney, as KH will be coming into the story later...**

**ONE MORE THING. There is FANART links on my profile. GO LOOK AT THEM.**

**Now, enjoy! Remember, we're starting out with Rin, and next chapter will be with Sophia. **

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Chapter I - Memories

* * *

I cracked an eye open, quickly surveying the breathing rate of my roommate. Only after confirming that my sister was indeed asleep did I dare to silently step out of bed and slip through the door that was always open just a crack. Though the house was dark at this time of night, I could see perfectly thanks to my mako-enhanced eyes. Dutifully side-stepping around the long memorized squeaky floorboards, I descended the stairs into the roomy kitchen. I picked up my weapons that guarded the front door, equipped them, and stepped quietly out into the night.

It was difficult to distinguish night from day in the Slums, but I seemed to have a sort of natural clock installed within me as a leftover from my days in SOLDIER. People milled about in Sector 5 at all hours, going about their business, casting a weary glare upwards every once in a while to the oppressive plate that hid the life-giving sun and sky from view. I was not like the other people of the Slums, though. To me, the plate was a shield, literally and figuratively.

I, although only thirteen years old, walked the streets with the air of a master samurai about me. With one hand on the hilt of my katana blade, I kept the other lounging in a pocket, hiding the shiny wealth of materia in my old ShinRa Alpha armlet from view.

The Midgar News was blaring from one of the Jumbo-tron screens that hung above the Sector 5 market, addressing the bombing of a Mako Reactor yesterday by the terrorist group known as AVALANCHE. I only sighed at this; both ShinRa and AVALANCHE were fools. Aerith, my adopted sister, almost got hurt in the explosion while selling flowers.

_That's the last time I'm letting her go vending alone…_

After all Aerith and her mother have done for me, the last thing I wanted was for Aerith to get caught up in ShinRa business. Turks were already after them both, Aerith for being an Ancient, and me for being an ex-SOLDIER. Well, **experiment** would be a more appropriate term. Not that I minded. No, SOLDIER had to be the best thing that ever happened to me, besides meeting Aerith. In SOLDIER, I met **him**. I was pretty sure that without _him_, I would've been killed or forgotten in a lab by now, just another project.

And even though heis gone now, I haven't forgotten him. Whenever I see a ShinRa logo, I remember. Whenever I see a Turk, SOLDIER, or swordsman, I remember my hero. The one who taught me how to live, even though he didn't know how himself; the first person in my life that was bound to me by platonic love; the one that rescued me from the darkness, only to be consumed by it in the end. My light, my guardian, my father:

Sephiroth.

* * *

**~Rewind 7 months~**

* * *

It was a typical day for me; I was heading to Sector 6 to meet with a client who had hired me for a mercenary job a couple days ago. The meeting place was a private room in a well-known bar that was busy even in the daytime—maybe because it always feels like nighttime in the slums.

The bouncers let me through with no problems; in fact one even pushed a couple people out of my way for me. An unnecessary gesture, but it's the thought that counts, right? I made my way to the back rooms, and entered Guest room #5.

"Mister Antonio," I said as soon as I spotted my client. As soon as he heard my voice he whipped around, abruptly ending the conversation he was having with another man at the other end of the room. He strode forward at a more controlled pace, almost leisurely.

"Ah, kiddo…" he said, in that fake- enthusiastic tone of voice one uses when they must tell disappointing news. "I'm sorry, but I'm gonna hafta cut you loose." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "I got dis guy for a bargain. Says he's ex-SOLDIER too. And I gotta say, he looks a bit more convincing than you. No offence or nothing', I've seen you in action, it's just…business. Yous undastand?"

I looked past Antonio and examined the man he had been talking to. Now that the client was gone, he was just standing there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over a thick SOLDIER uniform belt. He had an armlet equipped, but it looked pretty cheap. There were a few other pieces of amour remnant from a SOLDIER uniform, but it was impossible to tell of what class. He had blond hair that spiked out in all directions, but still somehow looked soft and natural. His mako blue eyes swept over me in scrutiny, but then a light seemed to go on as he recognized me. He also came forward to stand beside my now ex-client.

"Sorry Rinny, better luck next time," he said and reached forward to ruffle my hair. _What the __**hell**__?_

I quickly backed up and squished the urge to seize Spikey's hand and crush it. "Excuse me, but I prefer Rin." I said to the blonde. "I'm sorry, but you have me at a disadvantage."

He blinked, as if coming out of a daze, and stood up straight. "Cloud Strife, ex-SOLDIER First Class."

We shook hands before Antonio swept Spikey out of the room, calling out apologies and farewells. I left shortly after, still trying to process the information I just learned.

There was no First Class SOLDIER called Cloud Strife. First Class were few, and I had known them all thanks to being Sephiroth's apprentice. Even so, the man's name sounded somewhat familiar. And he did have the eyes. Maybe he was promoted after I had left? A slight possibility; the chance that he was just a mere imposter was far more likely. I dismissed it as such, and set off to return to Aerith's church to see Akuma. Talking to him always helped me clear my head.

It took me longer than usual to get there because I took a detour down an alley to kill a man who was trying to rape a little girl. I pulled him off her, tossed him away from me and shot him with a blast of Fire3. There were no remains. The girl was unharmed; she had fought him bravely. I took her home, and after leaving her family with my business card (scrap of paper with my number—I did escorts as well as mercenary work) I continued on to my original destination. It disturbed me how people down here will walk right by such atrocities without blinking an eye. I did everything in my power to pay back whatever good grace had led me to Aerith and her mother, and I did so with passion.

I saw Strife again as I passed into Sector 5, only this time he was alone and had a large sword strapped to his back—the Buster Sword. Or at least a weapon strongly resembling it; however, I remembered that Zack had told me the Buster Sword was one of a kind—made specially for Angeal when he became a first-class SOLDIER. I almost ran into several people trying to get a better look, but I only caught glimpses of spiky blonde hair among the fast-moving traffic of people. I growled in frustration and resigned to keep an eye out for the imposter tomorrow. With difficulty I turned around and completed the last leg of my journey to church, which was through the bustling market. Finally, old wooden walls and stained glass windows came into sight.

"Hey, Akuma," I called as I entered the old building. There was sunlight shining through the large hole in the ceiling, warming the cerberus napping up in the rafters. Said dog reluctantly rose to his feet as he heard my call, yawned, and jumped down into my arms. He then promptly started an assault on my face with his three tongues, something he knew I could not defend against.

"Enough, enough!" I tossed him out of my arms and towards the flower bed, only to have him snap his little bat wings open and glide right over the blossoms. Once on the ground, he stretched only as dogs can, before simply walking into the flower patch and flopping over onto one side to continue his nap. I went and sat down beside him, and drew him into my lap. I then laid down, being careful not to squish any plants, and Akuma crawled into a better position on my chest.

"Akuma, what do you remember about Zack?" I asked slowly, threading my fingers through the soft fur of his mane. Memories of easy laughter and bright eyes, spiky hair and a strong smile. That was before the Buster Sword. After acquiring it, he was subdued a bit, almost solemn. He grew up, became mature. The realization of reality sunk in.

I turned angry at the thought of the blonde imposter. Aerith confessed to me that Zack had died about a month ago; what kind of person would steal a sword off a corpse? Who could do that to _Zack_? Who would even kill Zack in the first place—dampness started to fog my eyes at the thought. Of course ShinRa. It's always ShinRa.

* * *

_"Zack Fair! Second Class!" The man shouted, clearly excited to meet the general. "I wouldn't expect you to know my name, sir…" Zack was smiling, and I guessed he did a lot. Spiky black hair, and eyes the color of the sky._

_I stepped forward. "My name is Rin. I am Sephiroth's apprentice." I said calmly, shaking his hand firmly._

_"Nice to meet ya." replied Zack._

* * *

_"What was that, Zack?"_

_"Start a food fight?"_

_"No, the one before that."_

_"Eavesdrop?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Okay okay! But let me finish this first, pleaaase?"_

* * *

_"So Rin, have you ridden a chocobo before? They're really fluffy and have these feathers that spike up all over the place…They come in all sorts of colors, and the colors depend on what the chocobo can do. Like green ones can run over mountains, blue ones can walk over water, black ones can do both, and then there's the legendary__golden__chocobo!"_

_I raised an eyebrow. Golden? "And what's so special about them? They blind their enemies with their shining coats?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm._

_"No! They have the power to cross entire oceans!"_

_I just stared at him. Ha, like any chocobo can walk on__water…_

_"Yah right Zack. You're just yanking my chain…"_

_"Nuh uh! It's true! Right Angeal?"_

_The first class turned his head back to us._

_"Sorry Rin. He's right on this one."_

_"Ha! In your face! I was right! Haaha!"_

_I decided I didn't like so Zack smug, so I grabbed his arm and yanked back, while planting my foot on the back of his knee. And down he went, landing heavily on his back._

_Spitting out dirt, he scrambled up, and brushed himself off._

_"That wasn't nice! I should stop letting you beat me up…"_

* * *

"_Rinny!" Zack exclaimed happily, before reaching forward to ruffle my hair. "There you are! Seph said you were gonna be out till late! I was getting so bored, but now we can play two-player mode-"_

* * *

_"Hey look, puppies-Whoa…" Angeal and I came over to a container that was sitting on an observation table. Inside, were about ten puppies- but they were corpses. And each of them had three heads._

_"Aw man, look at them…poor little guys…" Zack was immediately sobered at the sight._

_"Cerberus's." I was upset, and I didn't know why. I've never seen even a normal puppy. But those creatures were so cute and innocent-looking; I couldn't help but feel sorry for them._

_"Hey, do you hear that?" Angeal whispered, and Zack and I immediately strained our mako-enhanced ears. There was a faint, subtle whining. Very, very quiet, but still there._

_"Maybe one's still alive!" Zack said, hope flooding his features. Angeal said nothing, so Zack and I started carefully removing the cerberus puppies from the container. And there, under the corpses of his brothers and sisters, was a live, mewling pup._

* * *

_A young woman was tending to the white and yellow flowers, humming to herself. She looked familiar to me somehow, but I couldn't put my finger on it._

_The young woman heard us, and turned around. Her eyes fell on me. "Rin?"_

_I hid my surprise the best I could. "That's me."_

_She smiled, and stood up. "Zack has told me all about you! I'm glad we've finally met."_

_I let out a sigh. Of course this was all Zack's doing, somehow._

_"And who are you?" the lady asked playfully to Yuki._

_"Yuki. Rin's my best friend." Yuki answered politely. "And you are?"_

_"My name is Aerith. Would you two care to help me with the flowers?" she asked, smiling again._

* * *

_Zack's hair went from being spiky and all over the place, to being gelled back with one strand hanging down in his face. The Buster sword hung at his back now, having passed on from Angeal to Zack. Zack told me everything that had happened in Modeoheim, even though he was in tears while he did so. I watched Zack as he retreated. He had looked up to Angeal so much. I would be lost without Sephiroth or Akuma, or even Zack or Yuki. Friends may not be necessary to survival, but they are what give__meaning__to survival._

* * *

_I lounged in our hotel room until I heard the ShinRa party return. Or, what was left of it. When I went down to greet them, I saw only Zack, Tifa, and an infantryman._

_"Hey Zack. What happened?" I asked, as Zack carried the infantryman up to their room. Apparently, he was out cold._

_"Gimme a sec," Zack said, sounding tired._

_He laid his friend down on a bed, and muttered something. He sat down on another bed, letting out a large breath._

_I walked over to him, and prodded his stomach. "Not to be rude, but where is Sephiroth? What __happened__?"_

_Zack sighed again. "Genesis showed up. I guess he is still alive…"_

_I raised an eyebrow. "Go on."_

_"He said some stuff to Sephiroth… something about him needing his help cuz he's degrading."_

_That puzzled me. How could Sephiroth possibly help with that?_

_"Then Sephiroth just left. Dunno where Genesis went. There were G copies when I went back outside the reactor—that's how Cloud got hurt. He was protecting Tifa."—_

* * *

_**-**_** There.** Cloud. I remembered now. He seemed so much younger back then, innocent…

An infantryman. So it could have been possible that he had been promoted… but it was difficult to get into the SOLDIER program in the first place, let alone climb the ranks to the top within five years… The ranks of infantrymen are mostly composed of rejected SOLDIER candidates. Imposter or no, it still did not explain how Cloud had gotten the Buster Sword. I wanted to find out. Badly.

Unfortunatly, life had other plans. The filtering sun was warm on my face and body, and Akuma's weight on my chest convinced me not to move from my current position. It was simply too comfortable. The sweet smell of the white and yellow flowers was very potent, and very relaxing. A hymn Aerith often sung when tending to the blossoms started to float slowly through my foggy mind, and no matter how hard I tried I could not get it out of my head, nor return to theorizing about Cloud Strife.

Akuma's breath was steady, and in tune with the rise and fall of my own chest. I studied the inhalations and exhalations, observed the quiet snores, and found myself falling into a similar state of unconsciousness. I gave in and closed my eyes, letting my eyelids be warmed by the sun. The warmth seemed to seep in through the lids and penetrated my skull, ceasing all remaining brain activity. A moment later, and I was in dreamland with Akuma, chasing weird yellow clouds and sky blue butterflies. A lone wolf watched us from atop a cliff far away, even as rain began to blur everything in sight, eventually falling into blackness…

* * *

_Rushed footsteps woke Rin from the darkness. Her chest still hurt from the wound, and when she heard a familiar strangled gasp, her heart began to ache too. Zack._

_"Rin!" he fell heavily to his kneels beside the girl, hands reaching out, but stopping at the sight of her wound. He pushed the sweaty and bloody hair out of her face instead._

_"H-how did this happen…" Zack choked out, who had already cursed himself five times over for not having any Restore Materia. "Did Sephiroth…?"_

_Rin managed to nod her head, and look up at Zack. He was relieved to see that her eyes had gone back to purple, and that the pupils were no longer slitted like a cat's. "He's… not Sephiroth… anymore…" Zack's eyes widened. "I… wasn't… me either… but…" she had to stop, as coughing overrode her speaking ability._

_"Stop, don't worry about it," Zack said, voice wavering slightly, "Listen… I'm gonna come back for you. But if… if something happens, and I don't come back, can you promise me something?" he took out a potion, his last. He used it on her, and even though it didn't make a dent in her chest wound, it helped restore her voice._

_"O-of course, Zack."_

_He picked up Rin's hand, and put on his best puppy face. "Look after Aerith for me?"_

_Rin couldn't help but copy his smile. "No problem. Go get him…"_

_Zack put her sword back in its scabbard before charging into the back of the reactor where Sephiroth waited, Buster Sword in hand…_

"Goodbye, Zack…"

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***Waiting for the tomatoes to start flying* Please let me know what you think! And please point out any errors you may find; I'll give you a cookie! And By the way, Rin's next chapter will resume at the beginning of the game!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Crown

**AN: Hello, I know everyone who has read this story before must be pretty ticked off, that I keep asking to come back and re-read because I've made so many changes. I just wanted to let everyone who didn't know, that this story is a collaboration between myself (My name is Morgan! :D ) and my sister (The owner of the account, and the authoress of **_**Apprentice**_** and all of Rin's chapters. I will be the first to say that I'm not as great of a writer as my sister, and I still have a long way to go before I will be good at it. However, I want to do good by this story. That's why I keep changing it, hopefully to make it better. I don't think I'll mess with anything major after this, so don't worry. This is where I would really appreciate reviews and criticism, I really would love to learn what you guys think, and just want to thank anyone who has decided to click the button to read this.**

**This whole story is technically a crossover, with all of my chapters taking place in FFX, starting around the beginning of the game. :)**

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The day was slipping into evening. The bright fusion of colors backed a small party of three traveling across the Calm Lands. A High Priest and his two guards took out any fiends who were unfortunate enough to cross their path. At a leisurely pace, they made their way in the direction of the tranquil Monster Arena. One of the keys to the door was there.

This man, this – monster arena keeper - had the key the High Priest was looking for, and he was hoping, for the man's sake, that the owner would give it over quickly.

"Good day, sir," The priest smiled as his group approached the owner, who seemed to be organizing or cleaning, as many possessions were strewn across the small lawn in front of the dungeon-like entrance. The man looked to be in his mid forties, and quickly came over to greet his visitors."Not receiving much business of late?"

The man made the sign of Yevon and replied, "Afraid you are correct, your Grace. No one wants to see the Arena with no fiends." The man chuckled sadly to himself. The Priest made the sign of Yevon in return.

The Priest's guards loitered at the entrance, while he walked slowly around the scattered trophies and treasures strewn around the small lawn. "Actually, I was wondering if you were in possession of a rare artifact. I am aware that your family was charged to keep it safe years ago, when Remiem Temple was sealed off."

"The Blossom Crown, your Grace?"

The priest nodded, smiling. The man's face, which had at first held a concentrating expression, now relaxed. His eyes became distant, and shifted his stance, folding his arms. "One moment your Grace, if you please." The Priest nodded again. The Monster Arena Keeper disappeared into the entrance of the Arena. The three visitors were quite still, and the yard was quite tranquil, if you don't mind the strange mechanical serpent thing wiggling up and down constantly.

The man came back outside, now holding a sphere in his hands, and beckoned the High Priest over to him. He joined the arena keeper, and peered over at the sphere viewer. The man activated the sphere and two children sprang up in the projection. One was a girl, not quite a teenager, and the other a very young boy, maybe six or seven years old.

"M'children," the man said, a proud gleam in his eye, "this was when my eldest, Sophia, was leaving for the mage school, Munda. They're both there now, at Bevelle." He motioned to the girl, and pointed to the crown on top of her mage hat. "I gave it to her when she left. It was her mother's before she passed away with our second, Mal… My wife inherited the Monster Arena, and it was hard to take over for her when she died, and attacks before the Calm ten years ago destroyed part of the Arena, causing the source of our income to disappear… sorry to ramble on like this Your Grace, but my point is I can't simply tell my daughter to send it back to give to you."

"No." The Priest said slowly, cutting him off while thinking of his options.

Bevelle… The priest had to return there soon to meet with Mika… Yes… he would just go to Bevelle and get the crown while he was there, while taking care of some other business.

"Your daughter, she attends the university?" The man nodded solemnly. "I will see her there and hopefully barter for it then." The Priest began to gather up his retainers and prepare to leave.

Sophia's father raised an eyebrow curiously. "Have a safe journey then, High Priest Seymour… and praise be to Yevon," he added as an after-thought.

* * *

Sophia's P.O.V.

Sophia gave a deep sigh. All that was planned ahead was just more hospital visits. Nothing exciting like field trips to Sin-torn places to help out the wounded... Just sitting around in Bevelle, doing the same things over and over, slowly gaining experience. After a student mastered the white or black magic (usually at about the far-off age of twenty-three or so) he or she usually left for a life of adventure. Some went alone, but many traveled the world together, some becoming guardians, to help defeat Sin. And of course, some traveled to collect treasure and riches and to become famous.

That was the way of life for a student at Munda, and success was not guaranteed. The entire university consisted of thirty-three students at the present time, and no one without supreme talent could get in; the entire school was funded by Yevon.

All Sophia ever dreamed about as a child was being a summoner- having such an immense power and connection with other beings. She remembered finding a dusty old rod in one of the dungeons at home and dancing around with it, waiting for something to happen. Nothing happened with the rod, but later in life her potent magic skills showed themselves, and she was accepted to Munda. She was referred by a traveling nun, and as a result, Sophia's little ten year old brother was sent too. Some day he would surely be even stronger than Sophia, or her father.

Sophia came from a line of potent mages, dating all the way back hundreds of years; her family had built the Monster Arena, and had the magic to keep the monsters they collected IN it. It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, but it was always theirs. It was only natural that descendants would upkeep the impressive but perhaps secluded Arena. Recently business had become non-existent due to lack of monsters in the arena, as well as a lack of warriors to fight them. Sophia and her brother Mal were raised to remedy that. After a successful career at school, Sophia would be strong enough to search for powerful monsters herself and make a good life for her father and little brother.

Sophia had been minding her own business all day, preparing for an upcoming exam on advanced biology. She had been traveling back to the sleeping quarters after meeting up with a few friends when an elder student came running up the stairs behind them. The boy panted and addressed Sophia.

"High Priest Seymour of Macalania is here to see you. Go – to the dean's office." The elder student waved his hand at Sophia, and then sat down on a step to rest for a bit. Sophia shifted the biology book she had in her grasp and sighed again.

"You'd better go Soph." Sophia's friend took her Biology book and put it over her own.

"Yeah, you should hurry for a High Priest, sounds important." Another girl added.

"Thanks for telling me." Sophia said to the elder student with a quick bow, and started descending the stairs to the main part of the school. There was plenty of time on the way down to think about why a high priest of Yevon would want to speak with her.

When she arrived at the Dean's office, the Dean himself was waiting by the door. All he did was give her a curt nod and allow her to enter. She was greeted by the sight of a Guado in the garb of a High Priest standing behind the Dean's desk.

"Evening, young one, please, if you could sit down?" Seymour said, as she entered. "You are Sophia correct?" he continued, gesturing a hand to a chair.

"Yes Sir." Sophia bowed slightly. Seymour wasn't staring directly at her, but rather at her head. She pretended not to notice however, and made her ears available for explanation.

"The reason I have sought you out is to locate a certain artifact. An artifact that I'm most certain is on your hat." Sophia straightened.

After Sophia had received it from her father as a birthday gift almost five years ago, she had taken to wearing the beautiful coronet on top of her hat.

"You mean the Blossom Crown?"

"Yes." He said simply.

"Why do you need it?" Sophia countered; becoming defensive.

"To open the door in Remiem Temple." He again said with the same tone of unnerving simplicity. "Perhaps you have seen this door?"

Sophia, growing up on the Calm lands, had seen Remiem Temple once. Once in every great while the moon turns bright red in the sky, giving off an eerie light. A perfect night for a stroll on Alex, the family chocobo. Remiem Temple was constructed with an odd metal that when exposed to the red moonlight, shimmered. Sophia saw the great Temple from a distance. It was in the middle of a ravine, and largely out of _anyone's_ reach. At least… she thought so. Still, she perked up in curiosity.

"No, I've only ever seen Remiem Temple from far away. Is there something there that interests a High Priest?"

Seymour thought carefully about his explanation. The door, in Remiem Temple, which according to the single elderly traveling nun who visited annually, had begun to emit a strange aura. Not an evil aura, but neither a pure one. The nun who felt its presence described it as dark, and consuming - No doubt a great new power had manifested itself there. News of the dark, consuming presence spread throughout the top ranks of the Yevonite council, and it was decided that the Temple should be investigated, and who better for the job than the still-relatively-new Seymour Guado? He had recently been brought back from exile, and the Yevonite council was testing their trust in him. They did not seem too worried or interested in their investment though, which was fine with Seymour.

They doubted that there was any danger in Remiem Temple; the seal on that Temple's inner sanctum was remarkably strong due to the altercation that led to the sealing of the temple, and the clergy was sure it would cause no problems if no one came to visit it.

Seymour, however, was very interested in this new manifestation. Could something have corrupted the fayth? Had something possessed the fayth, or was it just feeding off of it? The questions were endless, and if something had scared that hardy old nun away, it had to be powerful.

"A strange dark aura has appeared there, invisible to the general senses. The Maesters are concerned, and want me to examine it. It could be dangerous." This was not the first lie Seymour had told. Lately he seemed to lying a lot; something he never did in his youth… But things were different now. He had a mission.

"I can imagine…" Sophia had the vague impression that she was not receiving the whole picture, but didn't care too much. _Dark auras… uncanny temples… it actually sounded quite interesting…_

"Well? Will you be willing to part with it?" Seymour was prepared to bribe if need be.

Sophia gathered up her nerve. She was prepared to fight for this. "Sure, I'll give it to you." Seymour smiled. "On one condition. You take me with you, as your apprentice, a black mage." His smile faded. It was common knowledge he was a great Black mage. But this girl was clearly a White mage.

Now Seymour had to do some quick thinking. The girl was fairly advanced for her age, obviously not afraid of monsters considering where she comes from, and he could possibly use her as an excuse to travel… he compiled all these reasons and more quickly. _But still… toting around a human girl?_

"Won't you miss your studies here?" It was Sophia's turn to smile. She wasn't so sure about leaving her friends, but this opportunity sounded way too exciting!

"I don't want to be a white mage anymore! I know you're one of the best black mages in this era, and I really don't want to give up my crown… it's a family heirloom." She said as she removed it, and then proceeded to stare longingly at it.

Seymour found himself contemplating just snatching it away from her, or killing her... He sighed, not frustrated only with her but also with himself. He was startled at himself for his eerie new types of thoughts; he didn't _want_ to be rash or make foolish decisions.

"I… will think about it." Their gazes met, both on edge, both suspicious.

"In the meantime, you'd better prepared to leave everything you are here." Sophia smiled. "That is not a confirmation, however."

Seymour then looked down with a serious face on Sophia. She would need much training to be ready for what he could use her for. She had no idea.

Sophia's mouth perked into a gracious smile, "Of course, Your Grace." she said, making the sign of Yevon.

* * *

Seymour's P.O.V.

Seymour left the Mage University of Munda that night feeling very conflicted. Youth, potential… _innocence, femininity… a girl. _He couldn't do this. A human girl, in the midst of what to come? No. There was no way.

Her dean was quick to tell of her seriousness, potential, and eagerness to learn. She was raised to deal with fiends and monsters, it was her future. That crown… there were so many ways Seymour could get it that wouldn't end in an apprentice, or any deaths.

Seymour remembered his own childhood, and then the man at the arena. That man loved his children, took care of them, gave them the best, like his wife did before she died. Those children must be weak, he thought, being loved like that. She probably has many friends, people whom she could confide in, who will miss her when if she left. _Everyone will be gone soon…_

Remiem Temple… even if Seymour did get the crown there was still the Flower Scepter to consider. The books say it was given to a female summoner long ago, the last person to acquire the Magus Sisters. Their power was great, and they would not listen to men. So the Maesters ordered them condemned. The summoner sealed them away herself however, left her guardians, and was never heard from again. The crown was given to the keepers of the Monster Arena, as a reward for challenging her power with their fiends when she exercised her strength. That family could keep it safe, she knew, and they did. Sophia was proof of that. She would be proof of that.

The next day –

Seymour accompanied Sophia to the hospital where he watched her heal and get tested in biology. She had no fear of blood or gore. Or death. There were deaths while he was there, one person's wounds were too severe and they were too late reaching him. Sophia turned solemn but called for an elder black mage and a young priest. The mage casted Death to ease the man's suffering, and the priest sent him to the Farplane. Sophia watched with solemn interest.

"Everyone has to die sometime, sometimes I think it's just futile to keep trying to live a trivial life. I want to go and learn things. Truths, powers, it's all the same. Is that what Yevon has done for you, Your Grace?"

Seymour smirked at her naivety. He knew the suffering that life gave, and his plan he developed in Baaj was justified here in this hospital, where people were trying to prolong that suffering. "You enjoy philosophy?" Sophia turned serious again.

"One would be reckless not to, I think. But just because you read something, or are told something, doesn't mean it's true." She looked nostalgic. "I have no direction yet…"

Sophia relaxed and addressed Seymour again. "Please take me to see the world! There's so much out there. Sometimes thinking about how much of my life I'm going to spend in Bevelle, I might as well be on a deserted island. I know you're special, Your Grace. The Guado are so mysterious to us humans, it seems like you know so much, but keep it for yourself. I hate that feeling of being kept away from knowledge! I know being trained by you will be the best thing I could ever have for this life. I have nothing to offer but the crown. Pleeease, Your Grace? I promise I will work hard and make you **proud**."

Sophia was basically kneeling before him now, begging. The speech itself was nothing more than mere rambling, but the last word stuck out to him. Proud. She would make him proud? Her father… had said he was proud of her. Seymour's father… he was never proud of him, always ashamed. Ashamed of his human half. But his human half, his mother, had made Anima. Humans are not weak, they have the greatest potential to surprise you, but also can be the most naïve, holding to foolish and cliché hopes and beliefs.

Even though Seymour was disgusted by her impulsive behavior, he decided then that he would undertake this project, to make this human strong. A tribute to his mother, whom the Guado rejected. He wasn't sure exactly what his goal for Sophia was, but he would make her strong, like he had to become. He would use her to help save the rest of Spira, if they were lucky.

He told her it would not be easy.


	3. Chapter II: It has Begun

**~Beginning of FF VII~**

* * *

I was on my way to the upper plate, as today was a special occasion. It was the same day as my first day of school all that time ago… The day I made my first friend. How long has it been now? Six, seven years?

The streets of Midgar haven't changed, only the people in them. I've only gotten stronger since I left ShinRa, and I've passed on some of my knowledge into Aerith. I insisted that I teach her basic hand-to-hand and help her become proficient with some sort of weapon. She chose the staff, but even after three years, she still hasn't really gotten the hang of it. Aerith always went out of her way to avoid fighting, which I could understand. It didn't matter anyway, because as long as I was always there for her, she wouldn't have to fight.

Getting to the upper plate usually isn't hard, but ShinRa controls everything from the elevators to the train system. So if ShinRa is after you, it makes getting around a little more difficult if you don't want to be caught. Aerith manages to get to the top plate to sell her flowers, but she will only go at night for some reason. I've beaten down any soldiers who've come after me and Aerith, even a few Turks. But it's only a matter of time before they send in the heavy artillery; we just aren't high enough on ShinRa's top priority list to warrant high level Turks or SOLDIERs at the moment.

I reached my destination: the train station. I felt around my pockets for my fake I.D. that I bought after my first couple weeks in the Slums; it sure did make my life easier. In the ShinRa Public Records, like Sephiroth, I'm actually listed as "dead" thanks to the incident in Nibelheim even though they never found a body. However, in the ShinRa private computer, I am simply listed as "missing" ever since Tseng showed up at Aerith's church one afternoon. He didn't stick around to fight or even say anything, which was good for me. I don't like fighting Turks—you never know what they have up their sleeves.

The only thing I am still careful about is my eyes. They glow like any other SOLDIER's, which draws a lot of questions out of normal people and suspicion from the wrong kind of people. I tried growing my bangs out for a while, but I can't stand having hair in my face. So instead I got myself a cool pair of shades—you know, sunglasses? I love them. They rest on top of my head when I don't need them, and don't hinder my eyesight when I do need them. Sometimes I also use my hood, but that can sometimes draw more suspicion than having SOLDIER eyes.

I collapsed into a seat, and waited for the conductor to signal the all clear. The whistle sounded, and the train inched forward. It picked up speed, and soon enough the bland Midgar scenery became little more than a gray blur.

There were businessmen, businessesswomen, peasants, children, and shabby-looking gangsters all around me on the train. I never usually look at them in detail, except for the children. They fascinate me. How different would I be if I had grown up normally with my parents? Would I be like these kids with innocent faces? I was not envious, however. Thanks to my initial misfortune, I was now part of something much bigger than simply surviving.

The train drew into a tunnel, and before long we burst out into the sunlight of the upper plate. I could see the ShinRa building now; a cold shiver ran down my spine. Not from fear, but of the sheer strangeness of it.

Five minutes later, the locomotive screeched to a stop at Sector 8 Station. Most of the people in my car piled out, but a few remained. Some people do not like walking any farther than they have to, even on the Upper Plate.

I got off, ignoring the suspicious glance from the conductor. I was taking a big risk, coming up here where ShinRa security was so much tighter. But I didn't care. The business which brought me here was important to me- I promised them I would come back. I promised…

Mentally scolding myself for losing focus, I started on the long-remembered path to my old school through the bustling Sector 8. People of every kind you could imagine were milling about, off to their individual destinations. Bright neon signs and billboards that lit up the sky at nighttime were dull and put out in the daylight. An occasional automobile would come through the streets, causing a great, comical scatter. Infantrymen, with their faces hidden behind their standard issue masks and scarves, wandered about aimlessly, breaking the illusion of stern ShinRa control.

Occasionally, the dark uniform suit of a Turk would catch my eye amid the sea of all the other varied colored suits of businessmen. Turks were trained to blend in with the rest of the suits, but their neckties always gave them away: plain, and the exact color of the suit. The Turk that passed me on the other side of the street must have been new; I'd never seen her before. She was a young woman, with shoulder-length blond hair, and a deep scowl plastered on her face. I didn't have much time to study her, as the traffic carried her away in the opposite direction of my destination.

Some short minutes later, I arrived in front of the ShinRa Secondary Education Academy. Yuki and Clause…. They were in there somewhere, listening to some "teacher" spew basic information about math, science, the common language, in addition to useless facts about ShinRa history. The feeling I got when I gazed upon the building was very different from the feelings of exhilaration I once got from the sight of my old elementary school. A bell rang, signaling the end of classes.

A moment afterwards, I heard a click. I whipped around just in time to see the shooter before I heard the boom of the gun. The same blond Turk I saw earlier, standing about fifty feet away in the shadow of an alley. To me, it felt as if time had slowed everything down except for myself. I swiftly drew my sword, and positioned it to deflect the speedily approaching bullet. After I heard the 'ping' of deflection, I raced forward towards the Turk, prepared to defect more bullets if I needed to. Behind me, I heard the confused din of the departing students; hopefully they were smart enough to stay within cover. Turks would not hesitate to shoot even if civilians were in between them and their target.

The Turk only had time to fire twice more before I was upon her. I dodged both shots before promptly striking her weapon with my blade; it soared out of her hands and, with a sharp crack, connected with the solid brick wall on my left. The Turk let out a shriek—the mistake of a rookie. My earlier assumption must've been correct- she was new.

The sudden whoosh of air into my ear alerted me to the presence of the second Turk. I had no time to dodge; as all of my concentration had been on Blondie, I was unprepared to deal with a second assailant.

The kick connected with the right side of my head- I rolled with the impact, and used my own attacker's force to jump and rebound off the wall he obviously wanted me to crash into. My grip on my weapon had not faltered, and as I traveled through the air towards the bald Turk, I brought it up behind me in preparation of a two-handed overhand strike. However, this Turk was no amateur; he caught me by my forearms and used my own momentum to throw me over his shoulder and into the ground. The force of the throw made me roll and skid back into the street. My sword was freed from my grip and embedded itself point-down in the ground at the spot of my initial impact- I continued a few feet behind it.

My head cracked painfully against the pavement. My vision was momentarily knocked out—I compensated by taking in all the sounds around me. Harsh words and the sound of feet slapping ruthlessly against the ground, coming towards me: the Turks. Loud, stressed voices varying in pitch and depth were from the students, as well as some random civilians who just happened to be passing by the spectacle. But one noise made itself heard above all the rest:

"_Rin!_" Female, sounded close to my age…

At the sound of my name, I regained my senses and got to my feet. I calculated I had approximately three seconds to look for whoever called my name before the Turks were upon me—I wasted none of it. I zoned on the source, having blocked all other sounds once I heard the girl's shout.

There. A Wutainese girl, who was being dragged away in the street, away from my fight, by a boy who looked her—our, age. My heart almost jumped out of my mouth.

Yuki and Clause.

I whipped around to face the Turks, and roughly forced my nerves to calm. The blond lady Turk was charging at me, screaming. I could see fear and hesitation in her eyes; I was an experiment and a freak. I had come to terms with that a long time ago; I embrace it. It is who I am.

However, the bald Turk continued past me, and disappeared into the throng of people running away. I cursed. Did they see? Did they know? The chances were very high.

I couldn't—wouldn't let them become part of this mess. This ended _now_.

I grabbed the remaining Turk's forearms much like the bald one had done to me, and twisted my torso to throw her as far away into the school grounds as I could. I didn't follow up with a magic attack like I wanted to; she was only a rookie. Instead, I went after Yuki and Clause.

I wretched my sword from its place in the concrete, and shoved it back into its sheath. I ran at top speed down the street, shoving civilians out of my way. I relished the feeling that ultimate haste gave me, the feeling of my legs pushing unnaturally strong against the pavement, propelling me forward. I glanced down the branching alleys for any signs of the bald Turk or my friends- not for the first time, I wished I had Akuma with me. I had no way to find them beyond sight. Curse his lazy ass…

I ran past dozens of alleys, and skidded to halt as that familiar voice reached out to me again.

"Riiin!" It was more of a screech this time, betraying fear. My heart sped up again.

I continued blindly in the direction of the sound, into a small alley that gradually got wider and bigger the farther you went. At the end was the bald Turk. Under his foot was Clause, unmoving. Yuki had the Turk's left arm wrapped around her neck, with the other holding a gun to her head.

"Let them go." I said immediately. I drew sword and tossed it to the ground between us.

Yuki's eyes widened impossibly at the sight of me. "Rin…" she choked out.

My eyes locked onto hers. "Don't worry Yuki, I'll get you out of here in a sec."

I returned my gaze to the Turk—his own eyes were protected by shades. "Release them. They have nothing to do with this."

"On the contrary—" said a deep voice behind me. At the same time, I heard three bullets leave a gun in rapid succession. They all found themselves in my back.

Another scream from Yuki. My breath left me at impact, and the force knocked my forward to my knees. A strange paralyzing effect rapidly spread from the bullets, alienating the flesh it touched. Mere seconds passed, and my legs and arms already would not respond to my commands.

I forced my head around, to look at the shooter. I already knew who it was—the voice gave him away. Tseng. He stood there, an unreadable mask on his face.

"W-why…" I gasped out. Yuki was weeping now, and the bald Turk released her into a heap on the ground. Remarkably, she found the strength to get up and come to me. She knelt down next to my now prone form, and took my face in her hands.

"_Rin_—we've missed you—I _knew_ you weren't dead—hold on, just _hold on_—"

I could only look at her, the paralyzation having reached my fingertips, toes, and face. A gloved hand appeared on her shoulder, and this time, gently forced her away from me. The bald Turk stepped over me, and flipped me onto my stomach with his foot. He drew my arms behind me to cuff them. I heard Yuki retreat to Clause, still trying to stifle her sobs and failing. I hoped he wasn't hurt. I'd have to kill that Turk if he was. And if he was, it was all my fault. The Turks only went after them because they're—they _were, _my friends.

The last thing I heard before the darkness crept into my mind was Tseng's voice: "Well done, Rude. Is Elena…?"

Meanwhile….

* * *

A man and a woman sat on top of a children's playground slide.

"No kidding. The same class."

"The same as who?"

"The first boy I ever liked…"

* * *

I first thing I became aware of was the hard surface I was lying on. It defiantly wasn't my bed…

Then the smell hit me; or rather, the lack of it. I tried to sit up, but found my hands were still tied behind my back. I groaned, and used my abdominals to pull myself up instead. I already knew where I was.

It was a cell- a small square room with a sad excuse for a bed and not much else. The door was solid, and a guard would be stationed somewhere outside. The cells were very close to Hojo's lab, and for a good reason.

There was an annoying buzz in the air, making my head hurt. That's probably what woke me up in the first place. I realized that it was a machine outside my cell that was making the noise, and a few moments later I heard a commotion outside the door.

"…prepared. Don't want….…understand? Its capable of… …grown… … down easily." It was hard to make out, but I was 97% sure that was Hojo's voice. A ball of ice-cold dread knotted my stomach.

The door suddenly shot open, and two guards came in. Unfortunately, I was still cuffed, so it was their lucky day. They each seized an arm and proceeded to march me out to the waiting scientist. Correction—_**mad **_scientist.

"Yes, excellent behavior. It's nice to know at least _one _specimen is intelligent realizes the futility of trying to escape…" Hojo mumbled in a disdainful tone.

'_We'll see about that when these anti-SOLDIER cuffs are off.._.' I thought bitterly.

Judging from memory, I suspected we were headed to the testing facility located on the current research floor. It was identical to the training ones on the SOLDIER floor, except for the fact that Hojo's had no safety restrictions and a considerably more diverse selection of programs.

We entered the room, and I was quickly thrown into the hologram chamber after my cuffs were removed. I fought with a holographic sword identical to my real one, with no materia. I was forced to run about two dozen programs before Hojo called it quits, including a number of rounds with Sephiroths set at various difficultly levels, rounds of several anti-SOLDIER monsters from Wutai, one round with first-class Zack, three rounds of different squads of three second-class SOLDIERs, and one round with a top-notch Genesis and Angeal. Needless to say, I lost many of these fights. When I could no longer stand after five straight rounds with Sephiroth, Hojo simply sent a guard in with an Elixir. Regardless of whether I drank it or not, he started the next program. I did not have the strength to be stubborn and consumed the Elixir quickly.

It finally ended after about two hours. I was in the middle of the fight with Angeal and Genesis; I felt like I was getting cut to ribbons, even though I knew I could acquire no real injuries in the simulator. Hojo abruptly ended the program when it became apparent I was not going to win. I sank to my hands and knees on the hard metal floor, barely noticing the guard enter the chamber and re-cuff me. He hauled be back outside, where we marched behind Hojo back to the science floor. I lost consciousness along the way, with that weird buzzing invading my mind again.

_**My daughter. My only daughter. Won't you come back to Mother? There is someone who wants to see you again very badly…**_


	4. Chapter III: From the Outside

Chapter 3

* * *

Random Lab Assistant's P.O.V.

* * *

"You! Assistant 16!" Professor Hojo's voice startled me out of my deep concentration, making me jump slightly. The professor had been in a terrifically good mood this morning, when the Turks had brought in the last Ancient. But that all changed within the span of the last hour…

"Y-yes, Professor?" I replied, while hastily standing up to face the man. I had been writing a report of the encounter the department just had with AVALANCHE; a bunch of them broke into the building and burst right into the lab! Where _I _was working! I had never been so frightened as I was when the man with the gun arm appeared… He, a blond man, and a rather attractive woman had set Red XIII free and took off with the Cetra; the lion-creature almost mauled Hojo to death! Luckily it had decided to follow AVALANCHE, and the whole group was caught an apprehended within about 20 minutes.

That had all happened about two hours ago, and my shift was (thankfully) almost over. Although it did occur to me, that if I wasn't safe within the ShinRa Building, then where _was_ I safe? I tried to ignore these negative thoughts however; I certainly did not need any extra stress in addition to the excitement caused by today...

Hojo didn't even look up from his clipboard while he addressed me; I was just a lowly assistant, after all.

"Fetch me Specimen R… be careful _not _to wake the prisoners. Make sure the guard I requested to watch the prisoners is doing his job…"

"Yes sir!"

I set off at a brisk walk to the elevator, but after I was out of hearing range of the lab, I slowed down to a leisurely pace. I looked out the windows as I passed them, admiring how beautiful Midgar was at night. I had a well-paying job, a family, and my health. I even got a taste of adventure every now and then—just look at what happened earlier! Life was pretty good…

I was whistling unconsciously by the time I got to the holding cells—a habit I was trying to break. Thankfully, I managed to stop myself before the guard came into view.

The guard called down two more security personnel to escort the specimen back to the lab with me. Specimen R was a thirteen or fourteen year-old girl, still dressed in street clothes. I spotted a SOLDIER belt under her jacket though, and saw the notch in her belt where a sword scabbard would usually be. I shuddered at the thought of the sheer power this girl probably possessed, to be able to keep up in SOLDIER, as Sephiroth's apprentice no less!

"Ah, excellent, excellent… the main tank, if you would?" Hojo said as our small party entered the lab. It looked like he had regained his good mood.

The guard threw the specimen in the large main tank, sealed it, and left. The tank was filled with nothing but air. I went and gathered the specimen's file and all the notes accompanying it and brought it with me as I approached the tank to do the preliminary examination for Professor Hojo. Hojo wanted the specimen's records (height and weight and such like) updated, as the girl has been missing for several years. I approached the tank's scanning mech and punched in my security code. I ordered a full body scan before stepping back to ask Professor Hojo if he needed anything else done. More assistants were arriving at the lab for the night shift; I was itching to get home.

"You may leave for the night when the file is updated…" he replied, bent over a computer monitor, scrutinizing the data scrolling down the screen much like a jeweler would a rare gem.

"Thank you, professor." I returned to the tank as I heard the chime that signaled the scan was complete.

I went back over to the scan mech to observe the results, and copied them down into the specimen's file. Her weight was above a normal human girl's due to extra muscle mass… Height slightly below normal, only 5' 3", estimated to be due to heritage rather than experimentations. Respiration efficiency was above normal- normal for SOLDIER candidates.

I looked up briefly from my notes, and almost dropped my papers. A gasp escaped me and my heart seemed to stop for a moment. The girl was awake now and standing right in front of me inside the tank. That wasn't it though—my gaze had gone straight to her eyes. The file, the picture—told me they were supposed to be purple, shining with mako. These eyes—they were a storm of blue and green, with slitted pupils like a cat's.

"P-professor…" I started, trying to regain my grip on the file.

"What?" I heard Hojo reply from across the lab, annoyance and impatience lacing his voice.

I was about to ask him what was happening to the specimen, but I was interrupted by a great cacophony of shattered glass and noise. The specimen had reared back one fist and sent it right through the tank! Which was supposed to be indestructible! I let out a scream and covered my head with my arms to shield myself from the raining glass, and dove behind a nearby console. I heard Hojo make a noise of exclamation followed by swears, as well as a call for security.

I heard the specimen jump down from the now demolished tank, before calmly padding over to the nearest lab assistant (thankfully not me) and grabbing him by the throat. She threw him across the lab and into another console as easily as one would throw a baseball, with the expression on her face unchanged.

There was a commotion as guards arrived—the specimen moved like lightning now, dodging bullets and putting her bare fists through each guards' chest like they were made of paper mache. The amount of blood was horrifying. Great ribbons of it arced across the room, and none of it was the specimen's. After all the lab assistants and guards were either dead or running away, I saw the specimen disappear downstairs via the elevator to where the other subjects (among other things) were kept. Professor Hojo had fled soon after calling for security, and I seemed to have been forgotten.

"Uuuugh this is turning out to be a very very very very bad day for me…" I started to mumble to myself, peeking out from behind the console I was hiding behind. I had been able to see everything in the reflections of the giant windows to my right, as I had not been brave enough to look while the girl was still in the room, lest she notice me and come to finish me off. Now I came out from my hiding place, muttering, "What should-what should I do?" over and over again.

"I _have _to go alert the building… wait, Hojo's probably already done that… ugh, I can't stay here! What if she comes _**back**_? But the only way down is the same way she went.." I decided to go anyway—I resolved to be as sneaky as I could—how hard could it be?

I halted my muttering and approached the hidden stairs that led to the lower floor that held the specimen tanks and prisoner cells. Taking the elevator would be suicide. Thankfully the steps were not creaky, as I could see the escaped specimen as I partially emerged from the hidden stairwell.

I went to gasp, but held it in. The escaped specimen had broken the casing around the tank holding the prized J.E.N.O.V.A. specimen, and was reaching inside. She brought out the headless, blue, and vaguely human-like mass, of which I had seen only once before when Hojo had ordered me to retrieve some more Jenova cells. The girl hugged the form, burying her face into it. Then, a strange shroud came over both her and the Jenova mass. After a sudden flash, both the girl and Jenova were gone. In their place, kneeling but otherwise perfect, was none other than General Sephiroth.

* * *

Slowly, and with unnatural grace, Sephiroth rose to his full height. His back was to me, so all I could really see of him was his long, silver hair. He raised his left hand, and a giant sword materialized in his fist from nowhere. It was his Masamune, the seven-foot long katana that had brought Wutai to its knees. The former general then proceeded down the hall, pausing only once to make robot sushi out of the pathetic mechanical guards that appeared.

I stayed frozen in place. I heard screams from further down the hallway, no doubt from more guards and random personnel that happened to be around. It was then that I decided to make a mad dash for the main elevators, in an effort to reach the president's floor. I had to alert the President; no one else could because anyone else who saw Sephiroth will be killed by Sephiroth. Steeling myself, I tip-toed as quickly as I could down the hall and to the main stairwell, as the main elevators did not stop on this floor. I reached the stairwell safely, and went downstairs to the 66th floor.

Now free to run like a madperson, I sprinted to the elevators and pressed 'up'. There was a chime as the doors slide open; I got in and selected the 70th floor. I had to scan my I.D. though, as these top floors were restricted to normal employees. I stared hollowly out of the glass elevator as it lurched upward, into the never-ending black abyss of the night sky. It seemed like hours before the elevator finally chimed and reached the top floor. As I burst out of the glass box, I was intercepted by a SOLDIER.

"Excuse me, but this floor is on lock-down at the moment, you're going to have to go back downstairs…" he said, gently pushing me back towards the elevator.

"No! _Sephiroth _is loose down there; I have to see the president!" I exclaimed, panicking. "_Sephiroth! Sephiroth, _you hear?" I grabbed the front of his uniform and started shaking him to emphasize my point.

Five minutes later I found myself back on the 66th floor, deprived of my 70th floor privileges for a month, and very scared for my life. Needless to say, the guard did not believe me, and claimed all the security cameras had been knocked out by the escaped specimen. Slowly, I retreated back to the 67th floor, where all was silent. At this point I didn't care if I ran into Sephiroth or not, I'd just beg or play dead or die. I didn't really care anymore. I saw a dead guard lying near the end of the hallway leading to the prisoner cells, so I decided not to go that way. I continued to the storage room, where I was met with a trail of fresh blood leading to the specimen elevator. It started in front of the Jenova tank, where there was a large pool caused by a dead employee in a grey suit. It led upstairs, where it continued to another body, fresh among the ones that had been killed by young girl specimen. On it went, through the hall beyond and up the main stairwell to the 69th floor. Now blood was smeared on the walls, with random body parts littering the ground as I went along in a stupor. I encountered more bodies as I found the large twin staircases that led to the president's floor. The blood trail went up the one on the left, so I went up the right one, careful not to step on the poor grey-suit who lay there with his limbs mangled and missing…

I emerged on the 70th floor to find the guard I had been previously arguing with dead.

"N-no, pleaaase don't kill me!" that was the President's voice, hysterically high and pleading. "I don't know how you're alive, but—"

"You will not have the Promised Land."

My view of the President was blocked by Sephiroth, his sword long and bloody in his hand. There was a gurgling sound, followed by a loud thump that sounded like something heavy hitting a hard surface. Then there was an "E-eep!", that could not have come from either of the two other people in the room, accompanied by the sound of someone fainting and falling to the floor. I found myself unable to breathe as Sephiroth turned to face me, raised his sword, and lunged. For a moment I could see clearly into his eyes—they were the same vertex of mako blue and green as the girl's was. I was pinned to the wall, and when I let my head fall forward, I saw the Masamune's blade embedded into my chest. As quickly as he struck, he withdrew, sending a spray of red everywhere and leaving me to slide pathetically down to the floor. Gasping for breath that wouldn't come, I saw him impale the dead president once more, this time vertically so his sword stuck straight up. Then he faltered, and clutched his head as he backed up blindly toward one of the pillars that adorned the room. A black shroud appeared around him, the same as the one that had appeared around the girl. After the flash, he was gone, leaving the girl specimen and a big ball of blue light that crashed though one of the side windows after circling the prone child.

Darkness overtook my vision after that, as adrenaline left my system. I knew I was dying. I could feel the lifeblood seeping out of me, saw it on the floor in front of me and felt it pool beneath me. I entered the abyss.

And out of the darkness, there was the Lifestream. Despite the fact that I worked for ShinRa, the ones who were killing the planet, the Lifestream reached out to me all the same. I walked among it until I reached the light; that perfect star, perched atop the spear of Minerva…

* * *

**Author's note: I'm not gonna lie, writing in random P.O.V.s is very fun. But if you guys don't like it, then just tell me... the next one will be in Rin's, but I just thought this moment could only be captured properly from an outside view.**


End file.

Final Fantasy VII, Adventure, Tragedy